THE Coventry Telegraph, in association with Royal Mail, are delighted to launch the Schools Awards for the second year running and we are now welcoming your entries.

The Schools Awards are designed to recognise the fantastic achievements being made by our schools across Coventry and Warwickshire.

They cover both community and curriculum based projects, as well as individual excellence, and will honour whole schools, classes and individuals.

Our aim is to bring greater public awareness to the first class work that is going on in schools right across the region.

We have on board many generous sponsors who have been instrumental in making this event happen and we are very grateful for their support.

We would like to thank our all our sponsors, Royal Mail, Print Design Team, Coventry City College, Stratford Upon Avon Racecourse, Legal & General, Drayton Manor Theme Park and our awards hosts, Coventry Transport Museum for all their support.

In particular, we would like to thank our headline sponsor, Royal Mail.

Royal Mail is delighted to be associated once again with the Coventry Telegraph Schools Awards.

Last year’s awards proved a real success, highlighting the first class work being done in schools across the city. Royal Mail was proud to help reward that success.

And we’re also pleased the awards categories will once again recognise not just curriculum-based projects, but invaluable work being done by schools outside the classroom within their own communities. We applaud categories such as healthy living, go green and sporting initiative awards.

The honours will give greater public awareness to shining examples of both individuals and staff teams who are totally dedicated to nurturing and bringing out the best in our children. We’re glad that inspirational teachers will be recognised across the board – from head teachers to school support staff.

Like the schools across this region, Royal Mail holds a unique and trusted position at the very heart of our different communities. Every week we deliver on average eight million letters and packets to thousands of homes, businesses and schools in the Coventry postcode area. With over 1,500 staff working across our area, they are often stretched to the limits delivering up to 2.3 million letters on our busiest days.

There are 7 award categories in total in addition to the Royal Mail School of the Year Award. A panel of judges will assess the nominations for each category. Eventually they will short list two schools/individuals for each award category who will be invited to attend the Schools Awards luncheon ceremony to be held in on Thursday July 8 at Coventry Transport Museum. This prestigious luncheon and awards ceremony will certainly be a day to remember and the Transport Museum is the perfect place to host our event. The large function room is located at the heart of the museum and will offer a fantastic atmosphere and educational experience for all our winners.

The award winners will receive a glass trophy and a bursary towards their school. The runners-up will also receive a small bursary and a framed certificate.

Award Categories

Project Awards: These awards are for projects that are to be carried out within the school, its grounds or the local community. The projects can either be ongoing or an idea for the coming academic year. They can be carried out by a class, year group or even the whole school.

School Newspaper/School Website Award: This award is supported by the Coventry Telegraph. Open to all schools that have produced a newspaper/website in 2008/9. To qualify, schools must produce a publication/website that contains relevant news for their audience.

Go Green School Award: This award is supported by Coventry City College. For a school that has made or is making changes to the amount of waste they produce. For a school that is committed to recycling and re-using wherever possible, controlling litter, etc.

This might be changes made by the efforts of one class, the whole school or an eco-committee. These might be changes made by the efforts of one class, the whole school or an eco-committee.

We would like to see how you have managed to raise awareness and instigate changes within the school, for example, using poster campaigns, research, setting up recycling-committees, class environmental champions, etc.

Healthy Living Award: For a class or whole school who makes it a priority to have healthy lifestyles. This could be by exercising more, drinking more water, eating healthy foods, having an anti-bullying campaign or growing vegetables to use in the kitchen.

We would like to see how you have managed to raise awareness and instigate changes within the school, for example, using poster campaigns, trying anew activity/food session, water being readily available throughout the day, setting up buddy systems, etc.

Environmentally Friendly School Award: This award is supported by Legal & General.

For this category, the judges will be looking for how the whole school has made or is making changes to become more sustainable.

These might be changes made by the efforts of one class, the whole school or an eco-committee. We would like to see how you have managed to raise awareness and instigate changes within the school, for example, using poster campaigns, research, setting up eco-committees, class environmental champions, etc.

Areas to be considered are, water and energy conservation, walking buses/transport, recycling, etc.

This might be changes made by the efforts of one class, the whole school or an eco-committee.

Individual Awards: These awards recognise the individuals within schools who have really made a difference to the pupils. They may be classroom assistants, support or admin staff or caretakers who make a difference to the children and their school through their enthusiasm and commitment. Or maybe it is a Head teacher, whose guidance and leadership has helped create a dynamic learning environment where the pupils are happy and encouraged to reach their full potential.

Head teacher of the Year: This award is supported by Print Design Team.

For an outstanding school leader, whose guidance and leadership has helped create a dynamic learning environment, where the pupils are happy and encouraged to reach their full potential.

School Support Staff of the Year: This award is supported by Stratford-Upon-Avon Racecourse.

This award is for any member of non-teaching school staff, who play a vital role in the running of the school and the happiness and security of the children.

It may be a caretaker whose dedication makes them an invaluable member of the school community.

Or maybe a teaching assistant or any other member of support or administrative staff who makes a real difference to individual children, classes or the whole school.

Perhaps you would like to nominate your child’s lunchtime supervisor who has been instrumental in their schooldays.

This award is for a teacher in a nursery, first, primary, middle, high or secondary school that goes the extra mile to give children the best opportunities in their education. For a teacher in any key stage school who goes above and beyond the call of duty to get the best out of their children, regardless of ability.

* Nominations can come from schools, parents, staff, local community members, governors, etc. To make a nomination for any of the categories please complete the form and send back to: